BOONE, N.C. - The University of South Alabama women's basketball team lost its first game of the season, 63-71 vs. Appalachian State on Thursday night at the Holmes Center in the first game of Sun Belt play. 

While the Jaguars were in control for the majority of the contest, the Mountaineers took a 59-57 at the five-minute mark in the fourth quarter and didn't relinquish it for the remainder of the contest. 

Shaforia Kines had a game to remember for South, the junior point guard made her 44th-career start tonight and notched the first double-double of her career. Kines went for 15 points and 10 rebounds, the first time she has gone for double-figure rebounds while at South. 

Appalachian State was led by the duo of Lainey Gosnell and Pre Stanley, who added 18 and 17 points respectively. Bayley Plummer added 16 rebounds for the Mountaineers, as they out-rebounded the Jags 53-43.  

GAME FACTS
- The Jags led for 30 minutes in the contest, leading by a game-high 10 at the five-minute mark in the second. South outscored the Mountaineers 23-14 in the first quarter, and although the Jags maintained a lead until the fourth they were outpaced by App State in each of the last three quarters. 
- Damaya Telemaque led the Jaguars in assists for the sixth time this this season, the freshman guard had five helpers while adding six points and two steals. 
- Antoinette Lewis notched double-figure rebounds for the seventh time this season, and put up six points on 3-of-6 shooting. 
- South made four three-pointers in the first quarter, but added only three more the rest of the game, finishing 7-of-22 from behind the arc. Jones accounted for three of those threes.  
- The Jags shot .368 from the floor, .318 from three, and 6-of-10 from the free-throw line compared to App State who shot .338 from the floor, .350 from three and connected on 16-of-19 from the charity stripe. 

NOTES
- With the loss, the Jags finished one win shy of tying the mark set by the 1984-1985 team for the best start in program history at 12-0. 
- The Jags' 23 points in the first quarter is their most in the first this season, while their 10 points in both the second and fourth quarter are a season low. 
- Appalachian State tied up the all-time series at five apiece vs. South and have now won two in a row against the Jags. The two teams will meet again in the final game of Sun Belt regular season play on March 9 at the Mitchell Center in Mobile. 
- Kines is the first Jaguar other than Lewis to record a double-double this season. 

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Terry Fowler
Opening Statement: " I thought we came out in the first quarter and played really well. Then, in the second quarter hit a rough stretch, I thought we left some points on the court that would have given us a 12-point lead instead of an eight-point lead heading into halftime. The third quarter we played well, really got out and pushed it. In the fourth quarter they really took it to us, not sure if we ran out of gas, but we didn't execute as well as we have been." 
 
On your message to the team and how they can learn from the game: " Yeah, it's really not about this game, we will go and look at the film. It's more about how we are going to respond. That's the key thing. Right now we have to focus on our rest, recovery, and on facing Coastal Carolina on Saturday."

On starting the season 11-0 before suffering a loss: "I really feel like we got off to good start, we felt like this team was really talented but you never think you're going to be 11-0 to start off the season. We know when you get into conference play it's a whole other ballgame, especially once you get on the road. That was the message that our players were telling to each other. It only gets harder so we just have to get ready."  

Up next: South Alabama heads to Coastal Carolina for a Sun Belt tilt on Saturday, Jan. 5. Tip off vs. the Chanticleers is set for 1 p.m. (CST) at the HTC Center in Conway, S.C. 

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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